The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office almost has enough former NFL players on its roster to put out a special teams unit.Laveranues Coles and Jeff Kopp are on the force, joining seven other ex-pros, per NBC News. The network’s Kathy Park spoke to the duo to see why they were so keen to pick up a badge.“This job allows me to feel like I’m a part of something greater than myself, like I was when I was in the NFL,” said 10-year wideout Coles.Kopp — a linebacker turned detective — claims that his new rule is more physically demanding than some aspects of pro football.“There’s a lot more running,” said Kopp, a detective. “We didn’t run as much in the NFL.”Coles earned around $42 million over a career that saw him represent the New York Jets, Washington Redskins, and Cincinnati Bengals.Kopp, who played for five teams between 1995 and 2000, wasn’t as fortunate.“It’s a totally natural fit,” he said. “The pay’s not as good as the NFL, but they’re working on it.” Both players had a laugh at that statement.“He’s laughing harder than me, because he made a lot more than me,” Kopp added.Coles was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft.Kopp was a sixth-round pick for the Miami DolphinsGettyColes topped 1,000 receiving yards three times in his careerGettyHe made his first and only Pro Bowl with the Redskins in 2003 after the second of back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons.He returned to New York in 2005 and topped 1,000 receiving yards again the following season.After his release in 2009, he signed a four-year contract with the Bengals worth $28 million but was let go in 2010 and spent a brief third stint with Gang Green before retiring.While at Florida State, Coles and teammate Peter Warrick faced felony grand theft charges after a store clerk allegedly sold them $412.38 worth of clothing for only $21.40. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was kicked off the team during the 1999 season.Warrick, who was a Heisman candidate before their arrest, also pleaded guilty but remained with the Seminoles despite also pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.NFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?The linebacker went fourth overall in the same draft as his college teammate, but lasted just four years with the Bengals and was in the Arena Football League by the time Coles joined Cincinnati.While pro football to law enforcement isn’t a well-trodden path, other former stars went in that direction.Charles Tillman — the genius behind the Peanut Punch — joined the FBI after his playing career.The Chicago Bears icon was even involved in a raid on rapper Lil Reese’s house.A two-time All-Pro, Tillman graduated from Louisiana-Lafayette with a criminal justice degree and used to shadow law enforcement during offseason breaks in a career which saw him earn $50 million.Tillman helped pave the way for the new era of aggressive NFL defensesGettyHe quit his new career in 2025 after growing frustrated with a change in direction.“The FBI was great to me. I did awesome. I worked with an amazing group of individuals,” he told The Pivot podcast.“I think some of the things that they’re doing now, I personally didn’t agree with. I didn’t agree with how the administration came in and tried to make individuals do things… it just didn’t sit right.“Everybody was told, you’re going to go after the most dangerous criminals, but what you see on TV and what actually was happening was people weren’t going after that.“And that didn’t sit right with me. That didn’t sit right with my conscience. At the end of the day, I want to be on the right side of history when it’s all said and done.“Do I think there are individuals in the organization, do they like doing some of the stuff that they’re doing? Absolutely not. I think they hate it. “I was in a different position because of my previous career. I made enough money to where I could just walk away and say, ‘You know what, guys? I’m OK. I think I’m good.“My first eight years, I’ve been solid. We were doing some good things. Some of the stuff that you’re doing now, I don’t necessarily agree with. And that’s not in Chicago, that comes from Washington.”Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for news, exclusive interviews and more.